"How Do You Smell?"

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish." 2 Corinthians 2:15

There are odors all around us. Some smell nice and others stink. People have odors. When a man has done physical labor all day in the heat, he has a sweaty odor about him. Babies smell sweet. Some people have the aroma of food on them if they have been cooking. My father in law used to work at a paper mill, that smell became embedded in his skin after a number of years. We are often identified by these odors. I always knew when my aunt walked into the room, even if I didn't see her, because I could smell her perfume.

While there are physical odors that we acquire, there are also spiritual odors. Christians are suppose to have a "smell" about them. God not only hears our prayers, is touched by our infirmities, looks at our lives but He smells us too. When He smells your life, what scent does He detect? What should it be? The fragrance that comes from our lives should be that of Christ. When God smells us, He should be able to smell the same thing He smells in Christ- a sweet smelling savor, the fragrance of an acceptable sacrifice. The Bible says that we are living sacrifices. When a sacrifice is on the altar, there is an odor that rises up from it. As living sacrifices there is an odor that goes up from our lives to God. Is that odor a sweet smelling savor or a stench in His nostrils?

Not only should God be able to smell Christ in our lives, but everyone else should be able to also. Do they? What do they smell? Your life either has a sweet aroma about it or it stinks. Have you heard the phrase- "I can smell myself"? When I do a lot of physical work outdoors, I can detect an odor on me that is not very pleasant. When I put on perfume, I can smell myself- I smell nice. We should be able to detect what type of odor we are emitting-- even spiritually.

Take time daily to see what you smell like- what you smell like to God and to others. Do you smell nice or do you stink? Is the fragrance that God smells one that smells like His dear Son or does it smell like flesh? Do others smell Jesus on you? Are they able to detect the difference or does your life smell the same as the world?

Have a great day. What do you smell like?